


Are We Worth it?

by blklightpixie26



Category: The Great Library Series - Rachel Caine
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22642018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blklightpixie26/pseuds/blklightpixie26
Summary: After arguments and harsh words, Dario and his lover sepaate for four months. Now standing at the train station, he wonders if his lover will be on the train as they said and if they still think the relationship is worth saving.
Relationships: Jess Brightwell/Dario Santiago
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	Are We Worth it?

Dario stared at the train tracks as if that would make the train appear faster or the time to go by quicker. For one he wasn’t getting on it for a trip required of him by the Library nor was he saying goodbye or someone who was leaving. This time his heart was arriving on the train, if it ever got there.

“You are sure that it is this train?” Khalila asked her own lover next to her.

“The message said that the train would arrive at 7 p.m.” Dario replied anxious that something was going wrong.

“It’s only 5:15, Santiago.” Glain stated looking around trying to manage the situation around them.

Dario kept his eyes on the incoming line. “If it gets here early?”

“Not that early.” Glain felt Khalila’s fingers tangling around her own. “We can go eat dinner and come back. At most the train could be forty-five minutes, but nothing more.”

Khalila nodded “Dinner is a good idea. They serve a huge meal on the train for those who have it as part of their journey. When the ticket was purchased, it was part of it.”

“I said I would be here.”

“And you will be. There is still over an hour before it gets here.” Khalila took his hand with her free one. “Come eat dinner and we will come back.”

Dario followed glancing back towards the station every so often.

When they got to the restaurant and ordered, Glain and Khalila watched him moping. “Why was it this long?”

Dario sighed staring into the coffee cup. “We fought a lot by that point. I think we both said some things that we normally wouldn’t have due to stress. He threatened to go, but I didn’t believe him. The next morning the ticket was purchased and bags were packed.”

Glain nodded to understand more than Khalila just what the stress of certain positions would do to a relationship. Her position with the High Garda was precarious, never quite sure if she would be called away from being the Archivist’s bodyguard. Khalila’s job as the Archivist though gave them a whole different set of challenges. If Dario had thought being a Historia Scholar was bad, being the Head Printer and part of the Curia would have driven him to insanity. “You two need to learn communication and that when it starts getting bad to take a break away from here and reconnect.”

“Easier said than done.” Dario said darkly.

Glain fit her fingers around Khalila’s. “You seem to be forgetting. I am the partner of the Archivist. I deal with Khalila not being able to get home on some nights, trips away with next to no notice, and never knowing if something I say hits a nerve because of things that went on during the day. Khalila never knows if I am to be sent on a mission for the Garda and if I am coming home in one piece, much less at all.”

“We make the time because what we have is worth it to myself and Glain.” Khalila said quietly. “I am not perfect and neither is she, but we found a system to know when it gets bad.”

The Spaniard looked genuinely curious. “How?”

“We each have a glass vase with our own colored glass chips. When one of us feels that we aren’t listening to each other or we fight, anywhere from one to five pieces of glass go into that person’s vase. We have gotten to the point now when one of those vases is half full, we force a holiday even if it’s only for the weekend.”

Dario nodded thinking of ways to adopt the idea without outright stealing it. “We need to do something the idea of us not being together does not settle well with me.

“Take it and run. We will be here to help if we can.”

“I just hope he still wants me after I said that I could do better.”

Khalila kicked him under the table. “Of all the people you could have said it to.”

Dario pushed what was left of his dinner around the plate. “It’s haunted me ever since. I saw them off, but not even our normal goodbye was done.”

Glain looked at her watch. “I think it’s time to head back.”

“Thank you.” Dario said as they left.

Dario watched as the passengers got off the train and his stomach fell. He knew what his codex had said yet his partner was nowhere to be found.

“Looking for someone, Peacock?” a hoarse, scratchy voice asked him in spanish from behind.

Dario turned and looked into eyes he hadn’t seen in almost four months. “Amour.” he looked Jess up and down trying to take everything in. The denim which was starting to be destroyed did not surprise him nor did the boots. The sweater and jacket though was more of Dario’s style and was a definite surprise. “You look amazing.”

Jess reached out linking their fingers together. “You look good yourself.”

He reached out tracing the lines of tiredness under Jess’ eyes. Dario hadn’t lied he looked amazing, but he also looked tired. “You didn’t sleep on the train?”

Jess shook his head “I tried, but it didn’t work out well.”

“Shall we go home?” he asked then looked around only seeing Jess’ favorite satchel which was in Glain’s hand. His stomach plummeted to the ground and all Dario could think was that Jess wasn’t staying. “You’re things aren’t here.”

Jess bit his lip and swallowed. “I wanted to see you before I had to go. One of the Garda companies reported that they needed help with what used to be smuggler dens in Spain. I know the trade and some of the people there, so I was sent the request to be there.”

Dario thought of everything that they could be doing together while Jess was gone and his heart ached. He reigned in the anger that wanted to come and instead thought about what Glain said about taking a holiday and reconnecting. “Perhaps it’s time that I make my request of the Archivist and take some time off to join you.”

“You would do that?”

Dario nodded not even caring about his lessons on public displays of affection. He pulled Jess in close and kissed him soundly. “I would move the world for us if I have to. It’s time that we show each other that our relationship is worth it.”

Jess rested his head on Dario’s shoulder. “Gods I have missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.” Dario held on burying his face into Jess’ neck. “Are we worth it?”

“You have always been worth it.”

Then tension in Dario’s body released and he felt like he could breathe again. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”


End file.
